1. Field of the Disclosure
This invention relates to an electrophotographic printer having an imaging device, and, more particularly, to an adaptable cleaning system for removing residual toner from a toner transferring surface of the imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic process, toner is transferred by electrostatic means to an intermediate transfer member (ITM) belt at each of four or more successive imaging stations each representing a different color plane. Toner is accumulated onto the ITM belt and then transferred onto a media sheet by reversing the electrostatic field. This transfer onto paper is not 100 percent efficient, and some small amount of toner is left on the ITM belt that needs to be removed prior to a subsequent image to be accumulated on the ITM belt.
In most situations the amount of residual toner on the ITM belt is extremely small, amounting to only about 2 to 5 percent of the toner that was available for transfer, which is normally only a small percentage of the total toner that could be transferred. A polymer cleaner blade, typically made of urethane, is commonly used to remove this residual toner. The cleaner blade skives the ITM belt thereby scraping off toner which ends up in an augured channel and is then carried to a waste container. This system can usually be designed to clean all of the residual toner from the ITM belt even when very high amounts of toner is present.
However, over time as printers become faster and as components will be desired to have a longer life, a cleaner blade system can create problems. Due to higher friction and torque on the system, the cleaner blade and the ITM belt can have a variety of life-failures. One common failure mode, especially for ITM belts without a hard, easy-to-release toner surface such as polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), is filming which can cause streaks to appear in the printed images. Filming also causes variations in electrical properties of the ITM belt over the course of a long print job. Further, the pressure of the blade on the ITM belt can cause lines of irregular densities to appear in a full-page or solid print. The ITM belt can eventually wear whereby coating from the ITM belt surface is removed in spots. Meanwhile, when the cleaner blade wears out, its cleaning ability is diminished which results in dirty printed images.
Since the ITM belt is a component of some amount of significance in ensuring superior print quality, the ITM belt is specially manufactured to meet several performance requirements. In general terms, the ITM belt has a relatively hard, smooth surface for good release properties and excellent cleanability. Its material generally has a relatively low compression set, a relatively high strength, low elongation, a resistance to cracks and wear, and excellent electrical properties. Since these performance requirements increase the cost of the material and manufacture of the ITM belt, it is desirable for the ITM belt to have a relatively long life.